90' Substitution

Fulham reached the much-coveted 40 point mark on Saturday afternoon after drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Charles N’Zogbia’s brilliant opener was cancelled out by Fabian Delph’s own goal to ensure Fulham left the Midlands with an important point.

Following a scrappy opening 45 minutes, Villa started the second half strongly, although they should have gone behind when Dimitar Berbatov hit the post before N’Zogbia’s curled effort.

The Whites weren’t behind for long, though, as Delph turned the ball beyond his own keeper when attempting to clear Bryan Ruiz’s corner. The game opened up after that, with both sides squandering chances to win it, but Fulham will be happy to take a point back to London after a resilient display.

Martin Jol made two changes from the side that lost at Newcastle United six days ago, with left-sided duo Kieran Richardson and Urby Emanuelson drafted in – John Arne Riise and Stanislav Manolev dropped to the bench.

After a nervy opening five minutes in which both sides were guilty of squandering possession, it was Villa who had the game’s first effort through Delph. The young midfielder carried the ball forwards before letting fly from 25 yards, only to see Fulham skipper Brede Hangeland throw himself into a good block.

Fulham were dealt a blow on 10 minutes when Damien Duff pulled up after trying to control a loose ball and the winger had to be replaced by Manolev.

And the Bulgarian saw an opportunity fall his way not long after his introduction. Richardson’s cross was flicked on by Ruiz but Manolev could only slice wide at the far post under pressure from Joe Bennett.

Villa enjoyed a decent spell of pressure midway through the first half which culminated in Christian Benteke spooning his half volley over the bar when well placed, before N’Zogbia sliced high and wide following a neat passing move.

The home side went within a whisker of scoring on 32 minutes through N’Zogbia when the Frenchman struck goalwards from Benteke’s pullback, only to see Mark Schwarzer respond with a brilliant reaction save to push it round the post.

Good link up play between Ruiz and Berbatov on 42 minutes ended with the latter having a angled shot from within the penalty area which Ron Vlaar got in front of to deflect out for a corner.

The Villans could only half clear the corner which allowed Eyong Enoh to find Emanuelson down the left. The man on loan from AC Milan showed great skill to beat his marker before laying off to Berbatov whose tame effort didn’t trouble Brad Guzan.

Villa went straight up the other end following the goal kick and N’Zogbia drew another smart stop from Schwarzer with a rasping drive from a full 30 yards, before Andreas Weimann dragged a shot wide on 45 minutes having collected Benteke’s flick-on.

Aston Villa started the second half strongly but it was Fulham who should have taken the lead. Ruiz sent Berbatov clean through but the striker’s placed effort clipped the outside of the post before going behind for a goal kick. Replays showed, though, that the Whites perhaps should have had a corner as the effort appeared to take a nick off a defender.

Long range efforts from Giorgos Karagounis and Hangeland followed, the first deflecting over for a corner and the second drifting harmlessly wide, before Fulham were made to pay for their missed chances on 55 minutes.

The Whites failed to clear their lines after Hangeland had intercepted Weimann’s attempted cross and the ball fell to N’Zogbia who took a touch before curling a sublime effort beyond Schwarzer and inside the far post.

With an equaliser needed, Jol introduced Mladen Petrić for Karagounis to increase the attacking outlets on the field.

Berbatov went close once again on 65 minutes when he hit a first time strike from Richardson’s cross, only to see it deflect wide for a corner.

That set piece saw Fulham find the equaliser, though. Ruiz’s teasing delivery was met at the near post by Delph who inadvertently flicked it beyond Guzan despite the best efforts of his teammates on the line to clear.

The own goal had silenced Villa Park and Fulham sensed the game was there for the taking, with Emanuelson next to try his luck with a right footed effort that flew wide of the far post.

Yacouba Sylla was brought on for N’Zogbia on 69 minutes and was almost immediately booked for a late challenge on Enoh. Paul Lambert then made his second change, introducting Brett Holman for Jordan Bowery.

Petrić then saw a great chance go begging when he couldn’t quite control Ruiz’s intricate cross within the six yard box.

The game was wide open and Delph could have made amends on 74 minutes but ballooned high over the bar from close range after a deflected cross had found its way to the unmarked midfielder.

Weimann then made way for England striker Darren Bent as Villa made their final change of the day.

Richardson made his way into referee Phil Dowd’s notebook on 87 minutes when he body checked Sylla, and it needed a firm punch from Schwarzer to clear the danger from the resultant free-kick.

Benteke stole in behind Hangeland in the last minute of normal time but, thankfully, lashed his powerful effort into the side netting.

Jol then made his final change of the afternoon, with Riise coming on in place of Richardson as Fulham held on to secure a hard-earned but richly deserved point.